The Circleville Letters

It’s been over 175 years since the last few surviving members of the Donner Party reached civilization, and yet everyone still knows the story of how the desperate group resorted to cannibalism to survive. But did you know that one man was made into the villain of their story? Fo ...  Show more

In 1888, Jack the Ripper stalked the streets of Whitechapel, England. Officially, he killed five women, brutally mutilating some of them beyond recognition. But perhaps the most unsettling part of his tale is how, to this day, we still don’t know his true identity. They say it’s ...  Show more

In 1977, a resident of a small town in the state of Ohio began receiving letters accusing her of having an affair. This kick started a whirlwind saga involving the entire town, threats of violence, and accusations of covering up a murder investigation. Today, we look into the biz ...  Show more

For 20 years, a tiny town in Ohio was held enrapt by the prolific author of a series of unhinged letters. By the time they abruptly stopped, the letters – which revealed terrible secrets – had claimed a life and sent a possibly innocent man to prison.

An anonymous letter-writer antagonized residents of Circleville, Ohio for years, singling out the school superintendent, Gordon Massie, and a local bus driver, Mary Gillispie, as the focus of much of the vitriol. When Mary finds a booby trap with a loaded gun in 1983, the gun ...